ClimateReadyVT
Business Resilience for a Changing World
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), in partnership with Reframe Lab, is offering a new FREE program - ClimateReadyVT - designed to help small businesses in Vermont adapt to our changing climate and prepare for the next climate-related business disruption.
Small Businesses Need Help
As recent years have shown, climate change is affecting businesses in tangible and increasing ways.
Warming temperatures, more precipitation, and poor air quality impact outdoor work, outdoor recreation, tourism, farming, and forestry. Climate-related health impacts - including greater risks of heat exposure, infectious diseases, water quality issues, and natural disasters - impact staffing, customers, operations, supply chains, and more.
Small businesses need help!
Adapt and Mitigate with ClimateReadyVT
ClimateReadyVT is designed for small and medium-size Vermont businesses (less than 50 FTE) who want to adapt their business to the changing climate and prepare for the next climate-related business disruption with the support of expert facilitators, a community of peer business owners/managers, leading-edge resources, and a network of business support organizations.
Participants Will:
- Complete a customized Climate Risk Assessment for vour business
- Identify hazard mitigation strategies specific to your business
- Understand which local, state, and federal resources are available to support your business with resilience
- Understand how legal, financial, and insurance services can assist you, including low and no cost options
- Obtain guidance for supporting the people in your business during climate-related businesses disruptions
- Learn about tools and methods for emotional resilience, mental health, and wellness
- Collaboratively develop a customized "Road Map to Resilience" for your business
What to Expect:
- Learn from and with a network of peer Vermont business owners/managers
- Hear from subject matter experts in a variety of relevant areas
- Receive 1:1 counseling sessions and build relationships with technical advisors
- Participate in Case Studies, role play, and disaster preparedness exercises
- Participate in small group learning, including breakout groups organized by business size, industry etc.
- Gain access to a digital resource library (templates; tools; case studies; other)
Dates:
This program will take place over 9 sessions between November 2023 and April 2024, including 1 in-person session and 8 virtual sessions. In order to get the most out of the program, participants will be asked to complete approximately 4 hours of "homework" in-between sessions.
Eligibility:
- Any business located in Vermont with 50 employees or less (FTE)
- Please note, this program is not appropriate for farm-based businesses. Alternatively, we recommend the UVM Farming & Climate Change program.
Are you interested, but either not eligible or not able to commit this year? Be sure to complete our Interest Form to be contacted about potential future iterations of this program.
Participant Commitment:
Each participant in the ClimateReadyVT Program is expected to commit to the following:
- Attend all 9 sessions (8 workshops plus closing event)
- Participate and engage in live web-based Zoom (video) sessions
- Complete approximately 4 hours of "homework" outside of virtual sessions
How to Apply:
Eligible businesses should apply here.
- This program is open to any businesses meeting the eligibility criteria above, with priority given to businesses that are by BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and woman owned/managed, as well as those located in rural areas of Vermont.
- Program applications are due Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 11:59 am ET.
- Questions about your application? Please contact Molly Rand (mollyr@vbsr.org).
Join a ClimateReadyVT Cohort
Interested in being part of this transformative experience? Businesses interested in joining additional cohorts should contact Molly Rand, VBSR’s Education and Events Manager, at mollyr@vbsr.org.